Methane Medicine: A Rising Star Gas with Powerful Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidant, and Antiapoptosis Properties

Table 3

The comparison between hydrogen and methane in biological field.

Delivery methods	Hydrogen	Methane
	Inhalation of hydrogen gas [11]; Oral ingestion by drinking hydrogen water [71]; Injection of hydrogen-rich saline [73]; Direct incorporation of molecular hydrogen by diffusion: eye-drop and bath [74, 75]	Inhalation of methane gas [8]; Injection of methane-rich saline [9]
The biological effects [76]	(1) Protective effects against reperfusion injury; (2) Protective effects against neurodegeneration; (3) Preventive effects against metabolic syndrome; (4) Suppressive effects on inflammation; (5) Mitigation of side effects in treatments of cancers; (6) Effects on dermatomyositis and mitochondrial diseases; (7) Mitigating effects of hemodialysis; (8) Effects on acute erythematous skin diseases; (9) Effects on exercise	(1) Protective effects against reperfusion injury [8, 9, 24, 27, 35, 41, 50]; (2) Suppressive effects on inflammation [16, 19, 27, 36, 58]; (3) Effects on diabetic complication [41]; (4) Effects on exercise [47]; (5) Protective effects on carbon monoxide toxicity [30]
Mechanism [76]	(1) Direct reduction of hydroxyl radicals with molecular hydrogen; (2) Direct reduction of peroxynitrite with molecular hydrogen to regulate; (3) Indirect reduction of oxidative stress by regulating gene expression; (4) Regulation of gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines and hormones; (5) Regulation of other genes; (6) Modulation of signaling	(1) Direct reduction of inflammation-related pathways; (2) Direct reduction of oxidant-related pathways; (3) Direct reduction of apoptosis-related pathways; (4) Regulation of gene expression of oxidant-related genes